Contact_FullName: Janelle
Contact_Email: j_daskal@hotmail.com
Area: Back to School

Idea:

I have a good idea for a year round bulletin board or job board for pre-k or elementary that I used last year! I found a bulletin board set that included books, pencils, and notebooks with smiley faces! I titled our job board "Booking for the 'Write' Helpers" and then put the children's names on the pencils and the job titles, such as plant waterer, line leader, etc on the books. I stapled the book/job titles tot eh wall first, then mounted sticky-back Velcro to the book and then the opposite side of the Velcro to the pencils, making it easy to switch jobs!

"The sun is always shining in room 7"- I make a big circle out of yellow oaktag and draw a smiley face on it. Next, out of yellow and orange oaktag, i cut out rays with a childs name on each one. Then on the first day of school you can hang their pictures on each ray. Makes the room look very cheery!
 

Beginning on the First day of school, I take digital pictures of my students during each theme and special activity. I write a sentence or two about what was happening and by the end of the year each student (Parent) has a keepsake of their year in Kindergarten!
 

I use a checkerboard picnic cloth for the background and have the title "A new batch of students." I have my name on a chef's hat. and a large piece of foil for a cookie sheet. I put the student's names on the paper cookies, and have a bowl with cookie batter and a large spoon. This is cute and easy!

I have a great bulletin board idea for the beginning of the school year. I have cut enough bright yellow stars to put every child's name on and hung them on the board on a deep blue background. Then I have blue sparkling letters in the center that read "Preschool's Bright and Shining Stars". Every child will feel special when they see their name in the stars!

I am a first year preschool teacher. For the first day of school, I made paper wash lines with string between them. I attached all of this to the bulletin board. Next I made a shirt for each student. The shirts were made of oak tag. I them put each child's name on a different shirt. I hung the shirts on the lines with painted clothes pins. The title of the board said "Who's hanging out for fun and learning". As each child came in to class, we helped them pick their own name. They then transferred the shirt to a wash line in our room. This is how we take attendance. It has proven to be a great activity for name recognition. At the end of each day, the students take down their "laundry" and place it in a small wash basket for the next day.
 

The first day of school we have parent survival kits in each child's cubby. We use a brown lunch sack and inside we put- a small package of tissue, candy hugs and kisses, a coffee certificate for the local espresso bar, monthly book order, a short poem about children, a card thanking them for entrusting their child with us, and a small package of peanuts with a little tag on them that says, "Don't worry, we'll take good care of your little peanut." On the outside of the bag we put a little card that says parent survival kit. They're a hit!!

On the first day I take a roll of newsprint and lay it on the floor. Then I take children individually and have them step in liquid tempra ( with a bit of soap in it for easy clean-up) and ask them to walk across the paper. I have all the children do this in different fall colors. I also write the name of the child under his/her foot prints. I title it " Stepping Into Playschool". When dry we hang on the wall for the whole year!

I got this idea from a Child Development Teacher who was also a preschool director. She brought in a Curious George stuffed animal on the first day of school and hid him. The children got a tour of the facility while they hunted for Curious George, going from room to room. Then after he was found, they discussed rules - with her saying "Curious George is curious. He wonders if it is okay to just walk outside whenever he wants to." The kids get very involved in the discussion and it makes the boring ritual of setting down the law fun!

Have the children pick out a symbol in which they would like to have by their name. Whenever you write their name draw that symbol also. This works great when trying to get them to sit down for a story if you have a paper with their name and symbol on it taped to the floor. This will provide self esteem to those children because they can find their own name by that symbol. Once you take the symbol away after a period of time they should recognize their name without having the symbol.

For September, we take Polaroid pictures of the children and place them on red apples made from card stock paper. We entitle our board "I am the apple of God's eye". the children enjoy looking at their pictures during the first month of preschool.

I am a teacher for a cooperative preschool, so every year I instruct the parents on the importance of play, as they parent help monthly in the classroom. One thing I do is pass around a real apple, then I have the parents help me list everything they could do with that apple...taste it, smell it, cut it, make it into applesauce or juice, etc. Then I pass around a plastic apple, and we go through the list crossing out everything we can't do with the plastic apple that we could do with the real apple. Then I pass out a coloring sheet with an apple on it and we go through the list again, crossing off all the things we cannot do with the paper apple. Lastly, I pass out a piece of paper with the word "apple" written on it. At this point most of the list is crossed off. After this activity, I explain to parents how important it is for preschoolers to have hands on experiences. I explain how much more they can learn by exploring their world. It is a really great way to show adults how preschoolers learn.

One of my favorite ways to open the school year is with a hand puppet. I bring "him" in as a special guest. This seems to bring some security to pre-schoolers who see the puppet as a friend. This is also a good way to practice our manners and good behavior for the times when real guests are visiting the classroom.

At the beginning of the year I let the children write the classroom rules to reinforce that we are a group and we work together. I stress that the safety of the children is what they should think about when writing these rules. To make them positive statements, rather than a lot of don'ts I have everyone do a painted footprint on a large sheet of paper and label it "Our Feet Can" - the children supply the rest (ex. be on the floor not on the furniture - walk in the classroom, etc.). We then do a handprint paper labeled "Our Hands Can" and we stamp lip prints on another piece of paper labeled "Our Mouths Can". We hang these in our meeting area and refer to them all year long.

Instead of writing a letter to your class from the teacher at the beginning of the year, send a letter from your class pet. This will get the children excited to see the pet and will help ease the scared ones.

Last year I had kindergarten and we started the year by everyone telling the one thing they missed most about home.... and the one thing they wanted here at school! Then our dinosaur puppet "spike" and I talked about the things we would get to do here at school, art and field trips were the main highlights, and explained how cool it was to be able to make new friends who could tickle our giggles out if we needed help. Nothing big, just made us all feel better. On the tree in the middle of our room I had apples with everyone's names and birthdays! They loved seeing they were allllllll important in our room!

Our preschool holds an open house each year in order for the staff and families to meet. The children get to come in and become accustomed to their new classroom. One of the biggest problems we have is matching each child with their adult caregivers during pickup time after school each day. In order to make that easier from the first day of school, our teachers ask each child to bring any adult that is allowed to pick them up from school to the open house. We then take a family portrait with the child prominently in front. We label the picture with the child's name and use it as a reference' to help each child find their caregiver at the end of the school day. This provides a boost to the child's self esteem since we display the pictures prominently in the hall as they arrive in the morning. Then at dismissal, it serves as a reminder to the teacher about what each adult should look like.

We always ask our pre-k children to bring a picture of themselves so that we can make a friendship book. I have the children tell me about their family, pets, favorite color, food, and what they want to be when they grow up. It's all put in a spiral notebook and each child gets a chance to take it home to show their parents their classmates.

Before the year starts I assign a different rubber stamp shape (small) to each child in class...a rabbit, a house, a boat, a flower, etc. Their individual symbol is stamped next to their names every place they see their names - on cubbies, nametags, magnets that I send home with parents at Orientation. It's easier for a 3-year-old to "read" a single symbol than a written name, but by Christmas most of the children recognize at least their own name if not others'. Usually by January I can remove the symbols from monthly nametags.

I ask the parents of my K3 students to send a picture of the child's family to school during the first week. Each child picks his/her favorite color of construction paper and we cut out a pennant shape and tape on the picture. Then the children tell me their favorite things about each family member and I write it on the pennant. We put some "fringe" on the end of each with a contrasting color of paper and hang our pennants on the wall. Seeing their family's picture every day makes the children feel at home.

I work with preschoolers, most entering school for the first time. On the first day I pull out a puppet just before the children arrive. I have the assistant meet the children at the door while I sit on the carpet talking to my puppet about how he feels about the first day of school. The kid's natural curiosity brings them across the room to check things out and when they do they may hear their own feelings being expressed by the puppet. Then they don't feel quite so alone.

At the beginning of each year I give each parent the option of sending in a disposable camera, with the child's name marked on. I keep the cameras all year long and take candid pictures of the children at work and play. It is a great keepsake! Parents love it!

This is a great idea for preschoolers making the transition into kindergarten. Cut out a school house shape in white and let the children color it, or use red and leave it. Then attach loops of construction paper. Use as many loops as there are days left before school starts. This is similar to the Christmas chain. Each a.m. after brushing teeth tell the child to take a loop off. By the time they get to the school house it will be time to go to big school!

During our orientation day my teaching assistant takes a picture of each child and their parents. We attach the photo to the front of a folded piece of construction paper. We then ask the parents to write a short note to their child inside the "card". On the first day of school we spend time with each child reading the notes written especially to them.

Last year I had A Un-frog-get-able first day of school. We read books about frogs, had leap frog races, had races wearing swimming fins. I had lily pads on the floor as you walked in the room. You can take this theme as far as you want to go with it, and the kids just love it. Have a great first day back!

Photo Album for the class: We (my assistant, our entire class and myself) participated in this all through the year. We took photos of everybody and added them to an album which we decorated with creative memories cutouts and stickers and made our first volume of " Our Treasure Book". We also printed names and words to describe the picture. This was always out for the children to enjoy and learn to read with. The parents had a wonderful time when their child would run to get the book and insist on showing them and telling about new entrees. It was a great tool to bring the parents into the classroom and be a part of their child's day!! We plan to make one every year as some of our children are there from age 2 1/2 yrs to 6 yrs.

I teach children who are blind and multiply handicapped. Some of the children in my classroom are day students and some are part of a residential program. These children are not able to tell mom and dad what happened during the school day. In order to keep each parent posted, I provide a "home" notebook. I use a brightly colored binder purchased for approx. $1 at an office store. In the top, right hand corner of each binder, I glue the child's photo. I also write his/her name in print and Braille. The picture helps to personalize the notebook and provides a smile for the parents. It is also a very practical reminder to the substitute on days when I can't be in the classroom. The Braille is for exposure and dignity. Though my children aren't necessarily ready to Braille their own names, it helps them to become familiar with "the bumps", left to right formation etc.

In my preschool class, at the beginning of the school year, I print each child's name on a 5X8 index card. We use these for transitions, taking turns, jobs, etc. Pretty soon, the children recognize their as well as everyone else! If someone isn't paying attention when their card is held up, their classmates will let them know!

"Dive in to a Great Year!" Decorate your bulletin board as an underwater ocean scene. Then cover the entire board with green or blue saran wrap going across and stapling each row of plastic at a time. You may need a little help to hold it at one end. This gives off a dramatic effect to your bulletin board!

Before Preschool starts I send home a postcard (something cute) to let them know how excited I am to have them in my class and I ask them to bring a favorite stuffed animal (for the extra security for when the mom or dad leaves on that first day of school). This also begins my theme on creation and how God made the animals. We also have a hot dog roast two weeks or so before preschool starts as our open house. I try to have lots of familiar characters for the children to color like Blue Clues or Big Bird etc....

I have a four year old, Pre-K class. Before school began I sent each of my students a card welcoming them and letting them know to expect a call from me to ask their favorite colors. After the calls, I assigned each child a color that is their personal color for the year. Using shades and different hues such as peach, lavender, and light green, each child can have their own unique color. Using their color, I can designate where their personal items go, their clothes pins they use to save their place in a center, and a "reservation" with their name printed on it to reserve their place at snack time, circle time, and for learning to spell their names. In just seven weeks of school all of the children can identify the other children's colors and are beginning to recognize the other children's names independently from the colors.

This year our theme was colors, so we made a bulletin board that had the phrase, "Launching A Great Year With Many Colorful Experiences" We then made children, who were holding ribbons with colorful balloons connected to them, and then we put the children's names on the balloons.

I create a time capsule for each of my students. First each student decorates a piece of construction paper and then they tape this around an empty Pringles can. Inside we include a sample of the child's writing, an illustration, a string to show their height, a page showing how high they can count and any other item that relates to the current theme. The time capsules are then stored until the last week of school. At that time students redo all the above activities. This is put together as a book, then and now. They and their parents enjoy seeing the growth that has taken place over the year.

Home/School Connection Folder

All Pre-K classes at our school use the same system to communicate with parents through a daily folder. Each child has a duotang folder (folder with two pockets and 3 prongs in the middle) that he/she takes back and forth from school and home daily. The front of the folder is labeled with a "Home/School Connection Folder" sticker as well as the child's name. Our school handbook stays in the middle of the notebook secured by the prongs. It is there for easy referral of policies, etc. for parents. The pocket on the left side is labeled "Notes". ALL notes going home to parents are put in this pockets. ALL notes, lunch money, etc. sent to school should be in this same pocket. The other pocket is labeled "Book". The children choose a classroom library book to take home each day. This system has been great for us. It teaches the children responsibility in bring the folder to school each day. No more digging in book bags! It's all in the folder!

Helping children who are upset when their parents leave: *Avoid ridicule. Never say things like" Only babies cry" or You're in Kindergarten now, your too old to cry." Reflect children's feelings. "It's sad when Mom has to leave." Reassure the parent will return. Make up a song like My Mommy Always Comes Back. Allow the child to hold a lovely or security toy. Allow child to carry a photo of family. Engage the child in their favorite activity. Many children find clay and water play activities soothing and reassuring.

I usually send a letter to the parents, before school begins, with the following in the letter: Expect Crying. Your child may cry the first day. Your child may cry the second day. Your child may only cry in the morning. Your child may cry only when you arrive at the end of the day. Your child may not cry at all. If you are at ease, your child will sense this and feel better about attending school. Eventually, your child will stop crying and adjust to the routine.

At the end of August I send each child who will be in my class a "welcome to school" note. I tell them a bit about our classroom and the things we will be doing. I also enclose a picture of myself taken during our vacation over the summer. I ask them to think about where I was over vacation and who the people in the picture with me are (my husband and 2 daughters). The first day of school they feel more at ease knowing what I look like and a little about me. They have great fun telling me where I was on my vacation.

At the beginning of the year, I like to ask each child to bring in a snapshot from home. I interview each child in the first few days of school and ask them questions like, what is your favorite color, food, story, game to play, who is in your family, etc. Then, I copy their photos along with the interviews and publish a take-home book for each child. The children enjoy "reading" them at home and the parents enjoy becoming acquainted with other children in the class.

I have a camcorder, and at the beginning of the school year I tape each child doing various things, doing work, learning the alphabet, colors, numbers, learning to tie shoes, playing, etc. I continue to do this for each child through-out the year. At the end of summer and before the next school year starts, I give the parents the tape of the child entitled "A year in the life of (child's name)". Parents love it, and I also learn how much a 3-5 year old can learn in one year.

Create a caterpillar made of many circles, one of which is a smiling face. On the "body" circles write each separate part of your classroom schedule, ex. group time, free play, cleanup... As you complete each part of your day, cover the corresponding circle. Children who are worried that mom isn't coming back will know visually how many circles are left until mom will be here. We use this for the first month until the children are used to class routine and separation is no longer an issue.

The first couple of weeks of preschool children are often sad to leave their mother often times for the very first time , and the tear usually begin. i have come up with a idea for those certain children who cry for more than a couple of times. I explain to the child that mom will be back , but in the mean time hold this little cup up to your eye and catch those tears, and before long they forget about crying and adjust to a normal routine at school. Another idea I use for children that are sad because mom is not there, ask mom for a picture of herself , and the child puts the picture in his/her pocket and if their sad just take a peek in that pocket and catch a smile. Hope you can use this tip.

Take along an assortment of colors and types of drawing paper with you when you go on your beginning of school home visits. This helps you and the children to become acquainted with one another as you draw and chat together and also gives you some of the children's work to take with you and display in the classroom. It is a good idea to let the children choose two pieces of paper. This way, they will usually make two drawings and you can ask them if they will let you take one with you when you leave. They usually like to give you one and keep one at home with them. On the first day of school, the children and parents are delighted to see their "work" already displayed. Your classroom also will look more cheerful and inviting with the children's work on the walls. Also, I like to take a photograph of the children alone and another of them with their family members while on the home visits. You can use the photos in a variety of ways to make your classroom more inviting and comfortable for the children. The children's photos can be used on message/attendance/helper charts and with your back-to-school bulletin boards. The family photos are nice to display at child's eye level on a "Family Board"and in "About Me" photo albums or books you make. You will want to get reprints of the photos as you will want to use them in various ways. Be sure and get permission to photograph from the families and explain to them what you plan to use them for. Hope everyone has a HAPPY NEW SCHOOL YEAR.

This will be my first year teaching preschool... I am going to send home a letter to each child welcoming him/her to my class, etc. With the letter, I am going to send one piece of a simple jigsaw puzzle. I will ask each student to bring the piece with him/her on the first day of school. We will then put the puzzle together. Hopefully, this will reinforce the idea that everyone is special and important.

I have found a unique way of storing items, such as changes of clothing, art items and music items. I place them in a plastic shoe holder. The type that has a hook at the top and can be hung on the wall. In my batahroom I have the childrens changes of clothes, I have one for my infant items. I use one for art materials and I have several in the garage. Hang these where children can reach them if you are storing items they can use on a daily basis. since I have a family child care, this is a convenient way to turn my house back onto my house at the end of the week, if I need to. Since the windows are clear children can see what is in which compartment. There are several shoe racks available in different sizes and shapes.

I just thought of this idea during the summer, but I am going to try it. I find that children really enjoy hearing about their teacher's favorite "things". On the first day of school, I am going to bring in enough items that have something to do with me or my family for each child to hold one (i.e. a clown, a spatula, a baby bottle, a dog biscuit). Then I am going to have the children draw a picture of their new teacher doing something with that item. I will probably expand this idea by having the children bring a favorite item from their home so we can have chances throughout the day to talk about their interests also. I am hoping they will be able to tell their parents several things about their new teacher by the end of the first day.

I do an "All about Miss Pritchard" big book. I include pictures of me and my family, pictures of my house, a picture of me when I started school , graduated high school etc. I use this book to introduce myself to my Kindergarten students.

At our yearly open house I give each child a large cutout of a train car. I have written on it such things as:My favorite food is___________My favorite thing to do is ______________I'm scared of _______________ETC......I send this home at open house and the children are to decorate it, put a picture of of themselves, picture of mom and dad, etc.The first day of school they bring these back and I hang them around the room with my information on the engine and my assistants information at the caboose. It is very reassuring to the children when they can go to their train car and see a picture of mom and day anytime they want.

In Kindergarten and first grade, we would start the year out with our All About Me unit and make Rice Babies. These rice babies were made out of knee highs and had to weigh what the child weighed when they were born. We would make a rice baby book up for each child on the computer and the whole week was spent measuring the babies with links, cubes, crayons, rulers, and scales from the nurses office. The children would create baby stories in their journals or in a book that they made out of construction paper and white paper. The children brought stories to share from home about things that really happened or just made the stories up. We combined language and math skills with this project. The children carried them around with them throughout the day and sometimes I "watch" them if they were out at recess etc.

Before school starts, draw a LARGE shape such as an apple.  Cut up the shape into pieces like a puzzle.  Send each child a piece of the puzzle.  Include a note to the child asking them to decorate the puzzle piece anyway they want and bring it with them on the first day of school.  When all the puzzle pieces come in, reassemble the shape on your bulletin board.

I suggest a theme such as "I am new, you are new" for your first week. Bring in a poster board filled with pictures of your family and label--husband, kids, pets, your favorite chair, your kitchen, etc...Before your kids arrive, get a list of address's of your kids and send them a note and ask parents to send in a family picture on the first day. As you get to know each of your kids that first few days, you can put the family pictures up on a poster board next to yours, showing the kids how we are alike and different, opening lots of conversation opportunities for your circle times etc......